About James Smith III

Mr. Smith has practiced almost exclusively in criminal law for more than 20 years. His extensive experience includes working in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida as a trial and appellate attorney and the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps in a variety of leadership roles.Mr. Smith’s served as a trial and appellate attorney in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in the Orlando Division. During his seven years in the office, Mr. Smith handled a wide variety of cases in federal court and before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to practicing in the civilian legal system, Mr. Smith spent eight years practicing criminal defense in the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), serving in numerous positions such as military prosecutor, military defense counsel, senior defense counsel, chief of international law, and chief of military justice.Mr. Smith handles a broad array of criminal law issues including criminal defense appeals, criminal record sealing, and expungement, driving/boating under the influence, drug crimes, guns/firearms/weapons charges, juvenile crimes, sex crimes, theft crimes, traffic violations, violation of probation, violent crimes, and white-collar crimes. He has significant experience in sexual assault cases, child pornography, federal criminal practice, and white-collar crime.

In October of 2010, in the case of United States v. Samuel Torres-Cruz, Case No. 6:10-CR-121-ORL-31KRS, Mr. Smith obtained an acquittal in federal court for a client charged with statutory rape. In the case of United States v. Luther Wayne Smith, Mr. Smith’s appellate brief and oral argument resulted in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturning the client’s sentence of 15 years. On resentencing, the client was eventually given a sentence of time served. In May of 2012, Mr. Smith’s creative sentencing advocacy helped a client charged with the possession of child pornography obtain a sentence of probation. In 2019 Mr. Smith obtained a full acquittal in the highly publicized case of State v. Corey Hill.